In the News

Horrors and heroes

February 21, 2025

There is a principle in the tractate Brachot of the Mishna that suggests something seemingly outrageous: One is obligated to praise God for both the good and the bad. Not just to perfunctorily recite a blessing, but to make it wholeheartedly. This is not a new concept. When someone dies, Jews traditionally recite the line, […]

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Podcasts to make sense of a war

February 8, 2025

Over the course of Israel’s multi-front war with Hamas, Hezbollah the Houthis and beyond, I’ve received much of my news from podcasts. If, before Oct. 7, I was hooked on pop culture, history and science-minded audio programming such as Fresh Air, RadioLab and This American Life, my AirPods have lately been tuned to a more Israel-focused digital frequency. Here […]

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The fantasy peace video I can’t stop crying over

January 26, 2025

Yoni Bloch has released one of the most remarkable AI-generated fantasy peace videos I’ve seen. Every time I watch it, can’t stop crying.

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Israel’s fourth quarter: catastrophe or hope?

December 29, 2024

Even before Oct. 7, the Fourth Quarter was trying to narrow the gaps between Israelis that the country’s current coalition has been manipulating.

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Will AI put me out of a job?

November 16, 2024

I started using artificial intelligence by accident. I needed a transcription from Arabic to English. And then I plunged down the AI rabbit hole.

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The black swans of Rosh Hashana

October 6, 2024

The term “black swan effect” refers to the kinds of big phenomena one never thought would happen and that have a potentially catastrophic outcome. How does that relate to Rosh Hashana?

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